


Manager

by duckhyuck



Category: Monsta X (Band)
Genre: Coffee Shops, M/M, he's just stressed tho, hyungwon is a jerk of a manager, oh well, this faultered as a coffee shop au tbh
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-11-23
Updated: 2016-12-06
Packaged: 2018-09-01 15:43:21
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 3,466
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8629723
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/duckhyuck/pseuds/duckhyuck
Summary: Hoseok has recently picked up work at a coffee shop a couple minutes from his apartment. Everything about it is perfect except for one thing. Chae Hyungwon, his manager from hell.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> I had an anon request for a hyungwonho coffee shop au, this is the garbage that amounted from that. Please enjoy!

A drizzle of morning rain covers the city as Hoseok makes his way to work. He’s been an employee for all of one week and for his first couple days he was actually enjoying it but, today, he just wanted to curl up into a ball at home. Just yesterday his training manager switched. No longer was he greeted with Hyunwoo hyung’s soft smile. He now had the boss from hell, Chae Hyungwon.

Hoseok let out a long sigh and kept trudging along. He opened the glass door of the shop and headed to the back. He placed his damp coat on a hook and went to wash his hands. In the sink mirror he checked to make sure the top button of his black shirt was done up. Yesterday he was scolded by Hyungwon when it popped open and he didn’t fix it. He has to be extra precocious to the little things now, he didn’t know what would set the other off.

Hoseok’s only saving grace arrived shortly after. Minhyuk was his friendly colleague who patted his back when Hyungwon started breathing down his neck. Their shifts matched up the majority of the time and Hoseok is forever grateful he has some sunshine to cancel out the rain.

“Let’s go we don’t have all day.” Hyungwon comes strutting in through the employee door, hangs his coat, washes his hands and puts an apron on in one minute flat. He throws a glare at Hoseok, “its opening time.”  He then exits the break room to open up shop.

“God, why does he hate me so much?” Hoseok frowns.

Minhyuk rests a steady hand on his slumped shoulder. “Don’t worry, it’s just because you’re new, he’ll come around eventually. He was the same with me when I began here.

Hoseok raises an eyebrow. “That’s hard to believe, you’re so friendly. I could never be so cold towards someone like you.”

Minhyuk smiles and laughs a little. “Well you know I’m a klutz. I’ll be real I never thought he would come around for me. My point is that _he did_ so you’ll be fine too.” He tugs at Hoseok’s sleeve. “C’mon let’s go help him before he freaks.”

 

What would normally be a short day becomes living hell when Minhyuk gets a call saying his sister is unwell and needs to be picked up from school. He lives at home with his parents, who are away for the weekend so no one else can get her. He leaves his shift early gracing Hoseok with alone time with his most favourite person in the whole wide world.

He can feel it. Every time he makes a subtle mistake on an order he can feel two eyes piercing the back of his skull. He hates it. He’s trying his best, it’s only his eighth day on the job and there’s more than one kind of coffee on the menu. At some point Hyungwon starts taking cups from his hands and finishing the orders himself. Hoseok can only hesitate for a moment before he’s told to take another order.

It’s complete and utter hell but he makes it. Hyungwon irks him one more time by going into the break room at the end of the day leaving him to clean up. Hoseok just writes it off as stupid manager perks. Maybe the most frustrating part is that Hyungwon is younger than him. Just thinking about that fact makes his sulky attitude simmer into anger.

Hoseok takes his anger out on the cleaning. After he’s scrubbed and mopped like a mad man he feels a lot calmer. He’s ready to face whatever the hell Hyungwon is doing in the break room. Or at least he thought he was. When he walks in and sees the taller male slumped over the break room’s desk sleeping he damn near punches the wall. He’s seething and he struts over to his manager. Just before he shakes the bitterness out of him something catches his eye. There are papers scattered all over the desk and one on the floor by his foot. All are notes for University, study notes to be exact.

Hoseok has to admit he feels kind of crappy about getting so angry now. He would have been forgiving if Hyungwon just stated in the first place what he was going to do. He lets out his second long sigh of the day and moves back into the shop area. He makes a simple black coffee; Hyungwon seems like a simple kind of guy, so he thinks this’ll be best. He places it down on the desk in front of the tired boy. He grabs the latter’s coat and drapes it over the sleeping figure neatly.

He does give a small shake to Hyungwon’s shoulder to give him a chance to wake. If he wants to go back to sleep that’s his problem but it won’t be on Hoseok’s plate if he wanted to go home and no one woke him up.

That wasn’t the last time Hoseok made these kinds of small gestures. He does it a couple times after and he’s doing it again today. Except Hyungwon has this god awful cold and he doesn’t want him to stay and let it get worse. He shakes him awake and Hyungwon looks dead inside, his eyes are glassy and there’s a possibility for a brief moment he doesn’t know where he is. “Manager please go home. You’re not well. You’ll get worse staying here.” Hoseok gives him a friendly pat on the shoulder to motivate him.

“Ughhh it’s too far.” Hyungwon mumbles and places his head back into his folded arms.

Hoseok rolls his eyes, he doesn’t want to make his second offer but he’s also not fond of the idea of his manager being grumpy and sick. “Manager you can come back with me to my place, it’s not far, only a five minute walk.”

Hyungwon peaks an eye at Hoseok who has extended a hand for him to take. His resolve crumbles and he lets himself get helped up. He lets Hoseok wrap an arm around his shoulder to guide him on their way back.

 

They arrive at Hoseok’s small cozy apartment. “You can have my bed.”

“No! No, that’s too much I’ll take the couch.” Hyungwon rubs the sweat from his forehead.

“Are you sure?” Hoseok looks over at his couch. “It isn’t that big though, c’mon take my bed, I’ll take the couch.”

Hyungwon doesn’t have enough energy to say no again. His fever is getting to him and he stumbles behind Hoseok. He’s left in the elder’s room with a clean t-shirt and shorts to change into. He does so and climbs into Hoseok’s warm bed.  Now that he’s alone he has time to consider Hoseok’s kindness and his own shady behaviour. He feels really guilty.

Hoseok comes into his room when he knows Hyungwon has to be asleep. He plops himself down in the desk chair beside the edge of the bed. He brought a cold cloth with him and placed it on the other’s forehead.

The younger mumbles, it’s coherent enough that Hoseok can understand. It’s a whispered apology and a cry about how he can’t afford to lose his job. Hoseok huffs out a breath. It all makes sense now he thinks. Hyungwon’s got a good job, he doesn’t want Hoseok messing up and making him look like a bad trainer or manager. That’s it, that’s exactly why Hyungwon is constantly stiff, stressed and a total nuisance. With this new understanding maybe Hoseok’s having a change of heart towards the younger. He will be honest with this though; he doesn’t hate the way how soft Hyungwon’s features look when he sleeps and he doesn’t particularly dislike taking care of him when he’s so compliant like this. Before Hoseok could continue to expand on these thoughts he too drifted off.

 

Hyungwon insisted that he go into work. He felt it wouldn’t be good to call Hyunwoo in to fill for Minhyuk, who was still with his sister. He also can’t just send in Hoseok on his own. So Hyungwon and Hoseok make the short trek to the shop.

Hoseok’s pretty tired from last night, his non-stop yawning shows for it. Turns out sleeping in a desk chair is not the best! Hyungwon must have caught on because when Hoseok comes out from the break room, apron on and everything, Hyungwon is standing right in front of him.

“For you.” He pushes a cup of coffee into the hand of the shorter. “Thank you very much for last night and for this week, I’m sorry if I was a bit much.”

Hyungwon wants to continue but Hoseok stops him with a hand on his shoulder. The coldness must have been a front because the touch causes a shade of pink to dust upon Hyungwon’s cheeks. Hoseok takes note of this. “It’s cool, I understand. You’re a university student with a job you can’t afford to lose because of an un-trainable rookie.” Hoseok gives him a toothy grin and is totally milking flustered Hyungwon for all he’s worth. “But I expect something in return for the attitude, treat you’re hyung to a date will ya?”

The cute pink on Hyungwon’s face turns into a deep red and he stutters trying his best to find a reply.

Hoseok pulls him down a little by the shoulder and whispers in his ear, he makes the situation a lot more intimate than the words he actually says calls for. “Manager you shouldn’t be so caught up in me or we’re gonna be late opening shop.” Hoseok lets his lips graze Hyungwon’s cheek before pulling back. He takes a sip of his coffee with a sly smile. He knows exactly what he’s doing.

Hyungwon stammers, “don’t be so lax with me, I’m still you’re manager.” He really does try to sound tough as he storms over to the door unlocking it. But before he does he looks over his shoulder shyly, glancing back at Hoseok. “Seven o’clock, the restaurant underneath your complex, dinner’s on me.”

 


	2. 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This should have been posted sooner but I've been sad and school sucks. Anyways...thanks everyone for your lovely comments and kudos, they made my days so much better! I hope this short story makes your day a little better as well!

It's been a month since their first date and Hyungwon still hasn't let Hoseok put a name as to what they are. He's just not sure if the older is really serious about him or not. Hoseok though, is willing to prove every ounce of his growing admiration for the other.

"Manager are you free tonight?" Hoseok gives a side glance to Hyungwon.

"Hoseok we are working. Finish that order and your shift, then ask me again."

Hoseok pouts, he knows it's cute by the way an irritated blush creeps onto to the taller's face. He's close to crumbling the other's resolve so he whiningly mumbles "it's on me though..."

Hyungwon drops a spoon in the sink. "I'm free." He snaps back and then completely distracts himself with the customers at the register. Hoseok blurts out a laugh, it was a predictable response but nonetheless adorable.

 

~

  
Now when Hoseok internally mentioned to himself that he would never give up on snaking his way into his manager's heart he was telling the wholehearted truth. But it's been five months and they've only made it to holding hands. It's not like he's disappointed, Hyungwon's hands are big and warm around his own, it's awesome! It's just that when they hold hands Hoseok has to fight the urge to hop on his tip toes and smack his lips against the other's cheeks.

The only thing that makes Hoseok regain his patience is the literal angel himself, Minhyuk. Every time he starts to complain about the lack of affection on Hyungwon's part Minhyuk reminds him about all the little things that have shown that their manager has come a long way. Hoseok is grateful for that, it makes waiting for Hyungwon that much easier because if someone can see the changes than his efforts are not going to waste.

 

~

 

It's Thursday evening and Hoseok and Minhyuk are finishing up their shift and prepping for closing. Hyungwon stepped out early to study for a test he has to write the next day. The older boys wished him luck and Hoseok made him a drink before he departed.

When they're in the break room Minhyuk strikes up conversation. "Hyung, I've got some info on manager you may want to hear." Minhyuk had a cheerful smile plastered on his face as Hoseok spilt a bit of the drink he had made for himself when his shift ended.

"What, wait who, no! How?" Hoseok stuttered. How could Minhyuk know something he didn't about the guy he's been clinging to for months?

"Easy there pal." Minhyuk chuckled. "Hyunwoo hyung mentioned it to me and it's not a big deal, just something to think about when you're planning your next date."

Hoseok calmed himself down, a little embarrassed now over the way he reacted. But why Hyunwoo? Both of them were so friggin quiet that it was hard to picture them in a position of conversation.

"I was with Hyunwoo in the morning helping open up and Hyungwon came in with a couple questions for him. They're majoring in the same field but Hyunwoo is a year ahead so he helps him out when he can. I didn't hear their conversation but Hyunwoo mentioned it to me after. Apparently there's an art exhibit from the states that's here for a week and he wanted to go with Hyunwoo. Unfortunately Hyunwoo is visiting his parents the week it's here. What I'm getting at is take our pretty ice prince to the art exhibit."

Hoseok took a moment to take all that in before replying. "He asked Hyunwoo before me?"

"YAH! Not the point Hoseok, and of course, they're friggin lit majors, they're into all that fine arts stuff, right? Nonetheless it's their hobby!" Minhyuk gave a friendly slap to the other's shoulder.

"Okay! Okay!" Hoseok put his arm up in defence. "Do you think this'll do it?" He looked up at the white haired boy quizzically.

Minhyuk sighed. "This could be your chance to get right in with him, but don't be surprised if he ditches your ass for a piece on the wall."

Hoseok choked a little on the coffee he was drinking. "Minhyuk I'm the finest piece of art you've ever had the chance to meet."

"Alright bud." Minhyuk pushed the break room door open slightly. "By the way...if you really can't get with manager Hyungwon don't be coming after the other manager. That one is mine." Minhyuk winked and then bolted through the door. He giggled to himself all the way out to sound of Hoseok choking and sputtering on his drink.

 

~

 

  
After a lot of searching Hoseok found the website for the art exhibit. He was determined to do this all on his own for the other, it was all part of the proving himself thing. He printed the entrance tickets off and hummed contentedly to himself. He had it all planned out and Minhyuk was helping him with one part he honestly couldn't do himself. The white haired Saint would be covering Hyungwon's extra shift so that Hoseok could come into the shop as a surprise and snatch him away. The plan couldn't be any more perfect.

 

~

 

  
“Hyung you're awfully giggly today.” Hyungwon glanced over at Minhyuk who was practically bouncing around the work station.

“And you never call me hyung, so what're you gonna do about it.” Minhyuk grinned from ear to ear at the other.

Hyungwon was slightly taken aback from that snappy response but brushed it off. What he couldn't brush off though was a familiar blonde making his way to the register. Hyungwon didn't look up to decide who it was immediately but instead he grabbed a pen and cup and asked for the customer's order. “What may I get for you today sir?”

“Hmmm…how about you?” Hoseok tapped his smiling lips in fake thought.

Hyungwon slowly brought his gaze up to the other and Minhyuk was practically yelling at how painfully sappy that was.

Hoseok flashed the art exhibit tickets before pocketing them again. “Join me?”

“Hoseok I have work I can't just—”

“Oh no you don't, you're getting out of here and going out with lover boy, Kihyun is coming in five minutes and the only reason I'm here is for this fantastic plan.” Minhyuk was literally pushing Hyungwon on his heels into the break room. “Apron off, your date is waiting.” Minhyuk shouted and then turned back to look at Hoseok. “He’ll be ready in five.”

“Thank you Minhyuk, seriously.”

Minhyuk nodded. “It's nothing, just promise me you'll do the same for when Hyunwoo and I want to do something fun!”

“For sure!”

 

~

 

“Hyung do you even like art?” Hyungwon whispered in Hoseok’s ear. They were on the subway heading to the exhibit which was more central downtown.

Hoseok pondered for a moment before whispering back his reply. “Ya know I've never gave it much thought, I know I don't hate it but what I do know is that if it's something you love then it's definitely something I'm willing to learn to love.”

The younger blushed and nodded, he was at a complete loss for a response. He had been feeling the sincerity from Hoseok these past few weeks and today was really driving those feelings home to his heart.

 

~

 

The art on display was absolutely stunning. Hyungwon was so lost in all the beauty that was on the walls. He was so carried away that he found himself explaining everything he knew about the art to Hoseok.

The elder listened, never letting his attention slip. He was so caught up in Hyungwon's beauty that he'd forget to look at what the younger was explaining. He knew from the way the other's eyes lit up and how his cheeks were dusted in a pink from excitement that this plan was a success. He also knew he'd be on his knees tomorrow kissing Minyuk’s feet for being a literal hero.

 

~

 

Once they had finished browsing the gallery they made their way to Hoseok's apartment. Where, funny enough, they had coffee. They plopped themselves down on the living room couch with their mugs.

“Hyung…” Hyungwon tugged on the other’s sleeve.

It was barely audible but Hoseok turned to see what was up but before he could face the other he felt the soft press of lips against his cheek. Hoseok couldn't believe it, Chae Hyungwon was kissing him, on the cheek, and it felt amazing. When the other pulled back Hoseok faced him in complete awe.

Hyungwon couldn't hold the eye contact so he looked down at the mug in his lap instead. “Thank you for today, and for these last couple months, I haven't said it or really shown it because I'm too stubborn, but I really like you hyung.”

Hoseok let out a breath he didn't realize he was holding and then took the taller's face I his hands. “I think you truly know now that I've only ever been my honest self to you all this time but I'll say it now too. I really like you as well.” He pulled the younger boy’s face closer until their lips were millimetres apart, giving Hyungwon enough time to pull back if he wasn't ready. He didn't and Hoseok closed the gap. The kiss was soft. It gave them both a pleasingly warm feeling in their stomachs. They broke apart momentarily to intake a shaky breath before reattaching their lips. Hoseok tilted Hyungwon's head and deepened the kiss carefully. Hoseok wouldn't go any further, there was no need to scare Hyungwon after they had just reached a great amount of progress.

Hoseok pulled away first after a long while. “Hyungwon can I call you my boyfriend now?” His question came out breathy and nervous.

“Yeah, as long as I can call you the same.” Hyungwon tried to hide his glowing cheeks.

Hoseok let out a childish giggle before peppering the other with feather light kisses. “Yeah, I'd like that.”

 

Hoseok was working his regular shift except Hyunwoo took Minhyuk’s place after something abrupt came up. The white haired boy was gathering his things in the back.

“Here! For you!” Hyungwon held a cup of coffee out for Hoseok, on the side of the cup was his name and a little heart beside it. Hoseok chuckled and gladly took it.

Hyunwoo smiled as well. “I mark Minhyuk's cups too.” He pointed to the little coloured-in heart.

“Oh he marks up more than just my cups, see you guys!” Minhyuk dashed out of the shop feeling déjà vu as he heard Hoseok choke on his drink with the addition of Hyunwoo slapping his forehead.


End file.
